Disclaimer: Jim refused to write his own bio, so this bio is written by climber/member Sam Schillo.

Jim Rott founded Montana’s second and Billings’ first climbing gym back in 2005 . He’s been co-owner / co-captain of the new STEEPWORLD flagship gym, along with Heath Lillie, since its launch in 2017. His enthusiasm and unwavering dedication to helping people find the right path has saved the lost souls of many who needed to know that the love of God is often best found in the love of nature. Jim has dedicated his life to helping people find that life is most exciting when they push themselves to their limit and discover one of God’s greatest blessings is in living a life of adventure. 

I starting my rock climbing adventures in Billings, Montana on the rims over 20 years ago.  Jim (co-owner) gave me that introduction on some area classics like “Welcome to Billings” and “Treeroute” where I realized I couldn’t just do pull ups to get up the route. I have been hooked on the sport ever since! Bouldering is by far my favorite style of climbing. I am the co-owner at STEEPWORLD and a routesetter in training. I love sharing climbing and helping others improve!

I’ve been climbing ever since my first visit to STEEPWORLD in 2019 and began working
here shortly after. After becoming the retail buyer, I am now the one to blame for all the
poor purchasing decisions for our retail store, which my kind and loving coworkers make a point to do on a regular basis. I am also a pianist and have been teaching many
wonderful students since 2018. I enjoy reading good literature, practicing the piano,
climbing with friends in the evenings, spending time with my family, and making my daily coffee with the STEEPWORLD Keurig before my shift starts.

I was born in 2002 in Washington but moved to Billings when I was 3 years old. I started climbing during Covid and immediately knew that this is what I wanted to pursue. I now coach STEEPTEAM and set the best routes in the gym as well as all the normal stuff. The coolest place I’ve ever been is Joe’s Valley, UT, where I climbed the coolest boulders ever!

I am originally from Denver, Colorado and moved to Montana in 2020 to study nursing. I moved to Billings in January 2022 and have been enjoying every minute. I have always had a passion for the outdoors and adventure that led me perfectly into climbing. I enjoy sport and trad climbing all around Montana. The most exotic place I’ve ever been was Peru.

I’m originally from Richmond, Vermont but moved out to Montana in 2018 to pursue an education in flight nursing. After moving out here, I fell in love with the outdoors and started trying every outdoor sport I could get my hands on from mountain biking, to backpacking, and eventually to my first couple climbing trips on the Rims. I soon found STEEPWORLD and am stoked to continue my climbing adventure here. Travelling is a passion of mine and I’ve been lucky enough to experience places such as Iceland, Costa Rica, Denmark, and by far my favorite, Cuba.

 I grew up in Bozeman where my passion for spending time in the mountains began to flourish. I started climbing in 2010 and joined the Bozeman ClimbingTeam in 2013 where I competed at the local, regional, and divisional level. In addition to competitive climbing, I have climbed in various rad climbing destinations including Gorge du Tarn in France and Rodellar in Spain. While climbing is my main passion, I also enjoy long trail runs in the summer and skiing in the winter. I work as a routesetter at the gym and am also a coach for Steepteam. I am a nurse here in Billings.

 I grew up in Portland, Oregon with my 10 siblings and moved to Billings in the fall of 2022 after falling in love with Montana over the summer, which I spent working at a camp in the mountains. I found STEEPWORLD online and immediately knew I wanted to work here, and the rest is history. I love reading, music, competition, good food, and all things outdoors. My favorite place to go is the Oregon coast, because it’s so gently beautiful and feels like rest.